Pumpkin Patch Recap!
Halloween season may have come and gone, but it was a memorable one for the Lloyd EcoDistrict team!! On the Saturday leading up to Halloween, we hosted a Pumpkin Patch Play Street event. A block between NE Holladay and Hassalo was transformed from parking spaces into a Play Street full of life!
Over a hundred pumpkins lined both the street and connecting park, which had been graciously opened up for us by Kaiser Permanente and Annie Herbert. Decorating stations had been set up with tables, chairs, canopies, and of course: paint! Cake’N It Better had assembled a lovely array of cupcakes, each with a little Halloween twist, and had gone above and beyond with how delicious everything was. You should stop by their kiosk in the Lloyd Center to taste their baked goods! We were also happy to welcome The Portland Streetcar as guests, who set up an info stand for anyone interested in learning more about them! To top off the spo~oky atmosphere were straw bales and a sound system that was blasting some of the greatest Halloween hits—Ghostbusters, anyone?
While Portland’s staple rainy weather kept some away, those who braved the drizzle were eager to show off their costumes and Halloween spirit. Several families showed up to participate in pumpkin decorating—and of course, to check out the snack table. The painting stations definitely kept us busy with how in-demand they were! Spotted amidst the crowd was Spiderman, a witch, and a very adorable pumpkin—though the list doesn’t end there.
We had lots of leftover pumpkins and were happy to find them new homes and purposes! Our friends at Milk Crate Kitchen took some to make free meals they deliver around Portland. The rest were split between the two Central City Concern Properties in Lloyd (Miracles Central Apartments and Madrona Studios). Residents at Madrona had a big property-wide pumpkin scavenger hunt event with them!
We’d also like to thank one of the attendees who discovered an injured bird, who had likely flown into one of the windows of the nearby apartment, and collected them to take to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Our team also took time to clean up the piles of wet leaves that were blocking the street, inspiring an upcoming event for November: Bye-Bye Puddles!
Did you stop by one of the EcoDistrict Play Streets tour stops this year? Did you have a favorite? Where in the EocDistrict should we host Play Street events next year and what are your ideas for themes?
